Comparison

SPL Meter vs Decibel Display

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

SPL Meter

This application functions as a professional-grade sound level meter, measuring decibels (dB) with advanced DSP algorithms. It offers adjustable filters, decay rates, and ranges, and can be calibrated for accuracy. It supports both internal and external microphones for versatile sound measurement.

Highlights
  • A and C weighting filters
  • ANSI Fast or Slow decay
  • 40dB to 120dB ranges
  • Adjustable calibration
  • Internal/External mic support
  • Universal app
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

SPL Meter is a professional-grade sound level meter, also known as a decibel or dB meter, for your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch. Modeled after a traditional analog SPL meter, we have faithfully reproduced all the characteristics and qualities found in those meters, including the ballistics, ranges, filters, and decay rates. Under the hood we have advanced DSP-based algorithms that meet or exceed ANSI / IEC Type 1 standards. And starting with iOS 6, we can disable the mic filters and limiters, to get the real world performance of a hand-held SPL meter. And now, upgrade SPL Meter with iTestMic, our pro-grade test & measurement mic, made specifically for iOS devices. Using iTestMic with SPL Meter, you get a calibrated, accurate SPL Meter, that meets industry standards for Type 2 performance. See our website for more information. But don't compare us to a Radio Shack meter, ours is much more accurate! We have also included a digital LCD display, as shown in the image, to make this the best SPL meter available for iPhone or iPad. And this is something that the old analog meters never had! The screen will flip when you flip the phone over, so that you can point the iPhone mic directly at the sound source. (iPhone X does not support upside down mode) SPL Meter is a universal app -- buy once, and use on all of your iOS devices. SPL Meter is built by the same team that created the other great professional audio and acoustics apps on the store, Studio Six Digital. Built on the engine of our more expensive "SPL" app, SPL Meter's filters and decay rates meet or exceed ANSI type 1. This app is not a toy or a game. SPL Meter is the one audio app that everyone who works in audio must have on their phone! Not only have we made the best one, but we've priced it so you can't afford not to get it. *** FEATURES: FILTERS -- A and C weighting filters are provided. DECAY -- Choose ANSI Fast or Slow. RANGES -- 40dB to 120dB in 9 ranges. CALIBRATION -- Comes pre-calibrated for the typical iPhone or iPad built-in and headset mic, but you can adjust the calibration if you have a professional, calibrated meter to compare it to. Accesses our cloud-based iOS device calibration database, which we updates as new devices are released. INTERNAL / EXTERNAL MIC -- Select Internal to activate the included compensation filter, which is designed to flatten the frequency response of the built-in or headset mic. External will work with our iPhone Measurement Mic, to be released later this summer. See our website for more details. SPL Meter is bargain-priced to make it easy for anyone to check out one of our professional, accurate apps. Studio Six Digital is dedicated to making the iPhone and Touch a professional audio and acoustics test device. Check out our full line of professional-grade audio and acoustics apps: SPL, the professional digital iPhone sound level meter, SPL Graph, for recording SPL over time, RTA, a 1/3 octave real-time analyzer, FFT, for detailed acoustic analysis, ETC, the energy-time curve function, RT60, for automated octave-band decay time measurement, Speaker Pop, to test speaker polarity, and Generator, the iPhone signal generator. Also, if you are looking for more great acoustical and audio test apps, have a look at AudioTools, our premier app for audio professionals.

About

Decibel Display

This companion app displays audio metering data from its desktop counterpart on your smartphone or tablet. Design custom multi-meter presets with various meter types, colors, and shapes for real-time audio analysis.

Highlights
  • Real-time audio metering
  • Customizable meter presets
  • VU Meter, LUFS, RMS
  • Spectrum Analyzer
  • Phase-scope
  • Modular design
Features
Read full description

Decibel Display app is only a viewer, it works with Decibel Desktop which is an audio Plug-in (VST3, AAX, AU) and standalone app (Mac, Windows) that can be broadcast to any smartphone or tablet device using this app. It is a modular multi-meter on which you can design the preset you want including color, size, shape, choosing between several VU Meter, LUFS Meters, RMS Meter, Spectrum Analyser, Phase-scope and so on.

Screenshots

SPL Meter3 screens
Decibel Display2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Decibel Display at Free against SPL Meter's $0.99. Decibel Display also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 4 months). SPL Meter's advantage is review sentiment (73% vs 40%) and chart position (#98 vs unranked). On ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Decibel Display is free to download; SPL Meter costs $0.99 up front. SPL Meter sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Decibel Display asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Decibel Display holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 28 and 11 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 73% of SPL Meter's written reviews are positive against 40% of Decibel Display's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SPL Meter ships an update every 4 months, Decibel Display every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 19, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 3 level
SPL Meter versus Decibel Display: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSPL MeterDecibel Display
Price$0.99Free — better
Rating4.1 (28 ratings)4.3 (11 ratings) — better
Positive reviews72.9% of reviews — better40.0% of reviews
Number of ratings28 — better11
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 5 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationPaidFree — better
Best chart rank#98 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size36 MB12 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAndrew SmithProcess Audio

Customer experience

SPL Meter

All ratings28 ratings
Positive78.6%
Neutral3.6%
Negative17.9%
Written reviews170 reviews
Positive72.9%
Neutral10.6%
Negative16.5%

Decibel Display

All ratings11 ratings
Positive81.8%
Neutral0.0%
Negative18.2%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive40.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative60.0%

Bugs and requests

SPL Meter

Reported bugs

11 issues
  • Meter readings change completely and are not stable
  • App crashes on iPhone 6s Plus with jumbled screen display
  • Screen scaling issues on iPad models
  • Display glitches when rotating device between portrait and landscape
  • Greyed out settings after installation
Show 6 more
  • Blurry UI and low resolution after updates
  • App fails to respond or shows 999dB reading
  • Incompatibility with iOS 8 and iOS 10.3.2
  • Screen only fills bottom-left corner of display
  • Microphone not responding with external mics
  • Feedback/screeching with certain external microphones

Requested features

12 requests
  • Larger meter display in landscape mode
  • Digital-only display option without analog meter face
  • Peak hold and min/max reading indicators
  • Time-based decibel graph visualization
  • Linear response visual option in addition to logarithmic
Show 7 more
  • Lighter display theme for outdoor readability
  • Larger digital numbers for better visibility
  • Data capture and note-tagging functionality
  • Three-point calibration system
  • Octave band analysis
  • Automatic range selection
  • Improved knob/dial controls (less touchy)

Decibel Display

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

SPL Meter

One-time1
  • Controls & Ad-Free$0.99
None

Decibel Display

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is SPL Meter free?
SPL Meter costs $0.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Decibel Display free?
Decibel Display is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, SPL Meter or Decibel Display?
Decibel Display is rated higher. SPL Meter averages 4.1 out of 5 from 28 ratings, while Decibel Display averages 4.3 from 11 ratings.
Do SPL Meter or Decibel Display have ads?
Neither SPL Meter nor Decibel Display shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SPL Meter or Decibel Display?
SPL Meter ships an update every 4 months, and Decibel Display every 5 weeks. Most recently, SPL Meter was updated on October 18, 2026 and Decibel Display on October 19, 2026.

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